Grow your own Tea with these 7 Herbs

Grow your own Tea with these 7 Herbs

by | May 29, 2019 | Gardening, Simple Living

One of my major goals for our homestead is to grow my own tea garden.  Herbs are such wonderful and easy plants to grow.  They are versatile and useful.  For uses such as teas, infused water, essential oils, cooking, first aid, the possibilities are endless!

Learning to grow and use herbs is something that I am currently focusing a lot of my attention.

Growing herbs for use in teas and infused water couldn’t be easier.  Typically harvesting herbs can involve drying the plant and seeping the dried leaves or flowers in hot water.  The part of the plant to be used is dependent on the type of herb and can include flowers, leaves, fruit, or seeds of the herb.  Knowing what part of the herb will be harvested is one of the important aspects to learn.

When you start to grow your own tea, there are several herbs that are great options to start with since they are relatively easy to grow and have a variety of uses.

Grow your own tea with these 7 herbs.

Mint

mint tea

Mint is one of my favorite plants to grow, period.  For one, it is so hearty and easy to grow.  It is pretty impossible to kill, which is great for new gardeners like me.  It grows so easily that when you decide to grow it, you really want to keep it in a container instead of planting it directly into the ground.  Planting it into the ground you run the risk of letting it take over your garden/lawn.

In a healthy plant, the mint is such a deep beautiful green color and it really does put out a really great sweet mint smell to your patio or porch.  To harvest, just pinch off stems and leaves.  Clip back branches as it grows just to maintain shape.

For more information on how to grow meet check out this article by The Spruce: Mint Plant Profile, A Hardy That Only Needs Your Control

It is one of my favorites because I love adding it to a pitcher of water to give some extra flavor.  Mint is the best plant to start with especially when you start to grow your own tea.

There are so many different types of mint to try.  Some examples are; apple mint, lemon mint, pineapple mint, and chocolate mint.  The possibilities are endless!

You can find seeds for planting your own mint at Botanical Interests using the link below:


Common Mint Seeds - $1.89 The aroma of mint will make you close your eyes as your thoughts drift to a summer day. Mint not only enhances iced tea and mixed drinks, it is also a wonderful surprise flavor in savory dishes, including meats, stews, and vegetable fritters. Tiny flowers are loved by bees.

Lavender

lavender tea

Lavender is actually a member of the mint family.  There are so many uses for lavender, infusing for tea is just the beginning!  It is a must have for any gardener and is a staple to grow your own tea.

This is the first year that I am growing lavender and I am so excited!  I can’t wait for it to start flowering.  Lavender will stay around for several years if you prune and water it properly and give it full sun.

Lavender might seem like an odd choice for using in teas but if you take a walk down the tea aisle at the store, you will find many brands offer lavender tea.  Lavender vanilla and lavender lemon are two popular flavors for tea blends.

For more information about growing lavender, Check out this article by Gardener’s Path: How to Grow Lavender in Every Climate.

A few tips for harvesting:

– If you are using it for cooking, choose an English lavender.

– The essential oils in lavender are at the strongest right before the buds of the flower open.  Harvest them at this point for best results.

– You can use both the buds and the leaves in a variety of dishes from cakes, baked chicken, cocktails, and salads.

Lavender Seeds from Botanical Interests:


English Tall/Vera Lavender Seeds - $1.99This is the tall, old-fashioned, wonderfully fragrant lavender that is an extremely valuable and easy to use household herb, an important ingredient in fragrance sachets and potpourris, an excellent cut and dried flower for arrangements, and a most useful component of innumerable craft projects. Add the flowers to a simple syrup to make craft cocktails/mocktails or lavender lemonade. Bake into bread, cookies, or scones and use to flavor jellies. Perfect for rock gardens, or as a short hedge, and attracts pollinators.

Dreaming of Having a Vegetable Garden this year?

Grab the Your Dream Vegetable Garden Plan for FREE to get you started today!  Start growing your groceries this year!

Chamomile

chamomile tea

Chamomile is such a beautiful plant. It is so simple and dainty but has so many holistic properties, it is a must have for your functional tea garden.

There are two types of chamomile, Roman Chamomile, a spreading ground cover, and German Chamomile, a small daisy-like flower that is commonly harvested to use in making tea.  Chamomile is a relatively easy to grow plant, it does well in either full sun or partial sun.  It is not super picky about soil quality or pH so it is a plant that can be planted easily directly in the ground or in a pot.

Chamomile is also an awesome garden pest deterrent.

Harvest chamomile when petals are lying flat and are slightly bending down from the center.  Harvest by clipping the flower heads from the stems.  Lay out to dry or use a dehydrator to dry out the flowers.  Keep dried flowers in an air tight jar. When making tea, seep dried flowers in boiling water.

For some additional information on making Chamomile Tea, check out this article by Cup & Leaf: Chamomile Tea Benefits for Skin, Hair, Sleep and More

Chamomile Seeds from Botanical Interests:


German Chamomile Seeds - $1.89What could be more soothing than curling up at bedtime with a good book and a cup of chamomile tea made from flowers fresh from your garden? The flowers can also be dried for floral arrangements, pressed for crafts, or woven into charming wreaths, and their edible petals can be tossed into salads. In the garden, chamomile attracts beneficial insects and pollinators.

Lemon Balm

lemon balm tea

Lemon balm is part of the mint family, in fact it looks very similar.  To me, the only way to tell the difference is to smell it.  The scent of lemon balm is refreshing and light.  Adding lemon balm to tea has a similar effect as adding lemon juice.

Similar to mint, it is a very easy plant to grow and should be planted in a pot or in a boxed off  area of a garden bed because it will grow and easily take over your garden.  It is a must for growing your own tea.

Harvesting the leaves and crushing them or seeping them in water is the most common way to use them in drinks.

Lemon Balm seeds from Botanical Interests:


Lemon Balm Seeds - $1.99Due to its beauty and fragrance, the medieval Frankish king, Charlemagne, had lemon balm planted in every monastery garden. Add to tea, use as a cooking herb to impart lemony flavor, or enjoy its aromatherapeutic qualities in a relaxing bath. Used by herbalists for insomnia and to soothe upset stomachs. A good container variety.

Ginger

ginger root tea

One of my favorite ingredients for tea is ginger.  Ginger provides a spicy flavor for any dish or drink.  A flavor staple for Asian cuisine, it also used in many herbal remedies and anti-inflammatory properties to help treat certain ailments.  It is known for its health benefits for the treatment of nausea, indigestion, and high cholesterol levels, and infections.

When using ginger for culinary purposes, you will want to harvest the root of the plant.  The root can then be ground up or grated to use in tea blends.

For more information on the many uses of ginger root check out this article by Wellness Mama: 10+ Ways to Use Ginger (& Get Its Amazing Benefits)

I am planning to add some ginger to my tea garden, there are so many possibilities! Plus, I really hate having to think about having fresh ginger on hand, I never have it when I need it and I always forget to add it to my grocery list when I need it for a dish.

Dreaming of Having a Vegetable Garden this year?

Grab the Your Dream Vegetable Garden Plan for FREE to get you started today!  Start growing your groceries this year!

Calendula

calendula tea

Calendula is a plant that has really risen in popularity lately.  I actually had never heard of it until a few months ago.  Since then, the topic of growing and using calendula has been pretty prevalent.

After doing some of my own research, I found that there were SO many benefits and uses for calendula that I decided I had to purchase a plant to have in my garden.   I looked in several local garden stores and after no luck, I hopped onto Botanical Interests and placed an order.

Some of the uses of calendula are pest control, attracts good insects, and health benefits. 

For some more information on the benefits and uses of calendula, check out this article by The Free Range Life: Calendula: 30 Amazing Benefits and Uses

When making tea, the flower of calendula would be harvested similar to chamomile.  Calendula tea is made by drying the flowers and seeping them in boiling water.

Calendula seeds from Botanical Interests:


Pacific Beauty Blend Calendula (Pot Marigold) Seeds - $1.89The calendula, an old, English-cottage-garden flower is a long-blooming addition to any modern garden. Its gold and orange flowers bloom from spring to fall on fairly drought- and heat-tolerant plants. Grow it for attracting pollinators and its sunny beauty in the garden, then save some blooms for fresh or dried floral arrangements; dried petals can be used in baking or teas. Calendula gets its common name, pot marigold, because the flower resembles a marigold, and has often been used in pots of soup or stew for both color and flavor.

Rose Hips

rose hip tea

Rose Hips are basically the fruits of a rose plant. They usually can be found at the end of the season, after the roses are done blooming.  At this point, the plant will produce a fruit which is often overlooked.

Harvesting these fruits allows for a variety of uses.  Jams, jellies, wines, and teas are just the beginning of the possibilities of using rose hips in the kitchen. 

While rose bushes are a little more difficult to plant and maintainace than your ordinary herb, they make a wonderful addition when you are looking to grow your own tea.

Tea Garden FAQS

How do you dry herbs for tea?

Drying herbs and flowers are one of the easiest food preservation means.  I use this method frequently as it doesn’t require a ton of special equipment to do.

You can purchase a dehydrator for pretty cheap and that will help you cut down your drying time immensely, but you can really just hang your plants for a few weeks and allow them to dry.  

Depending on the flower or herb, you may remove the leaves or petals in a different manner but the overall process is the same.

Where to buy tea plants or seeds?

There are many option for seeds when you are trying to grow your own tea.  My favorite place to buy seeds of any kind is Botanical Interests. 

They have a huge collection of plants, everything from vegetables to flowers to herbs.  Thier wide variety has a wonderful collection of organic seeds.  They are also a really great resource for other garden products and resources and growing guides.

Dreaming of Having a Vegetable Garden this year?

Grab the Your Dream Vegetable Garden Plan for FREE to get you started today!  Start growing your groceries this year!

Love tea? Check out our article all about hot toddies: 7 Cozy Hot Toddy Recipes to Enjoy This Winter

You can also get inspiration from my favorite little tea merchant: Farmhouse Teas.  My absolutely favorite is the Peppermint Patty Mint. 

2019 Spring Reality Check

2019 Spring Reality Check

by | May 27, 2019 | Follow Our Journey

Every winter, around February, I get super exited for the spring season. This year was no different, in fact, that excitement was amplified due to the prospect of officially starting our homestead.  A couple of months ago, I posted this list of goals and dreams.

  • Fence in a play area for the kids.
  • Build a chicken coup and run.
  • Purchase chicks and raise them.
  • Combine two vegetable gardens and fence it in.
  • Plant trees for a privacy wall in front of the house.
  • Tear out our juniper hill and start plans for herb/tea garden.
  • Learn to bake bread.
  • Organize our recipe library.

Looking at this list that I put together just a few months ago conjures all kinds of negative feelings.

What the heck was I thinking?!

Achieving these goals meant that quite a bit of heavy work be completed in March and April.  I meant well, I was excited, motivated, and felt like I could accomplish everything and anything regardless of our time constraints.

 

Time for a reality check!

Not that these goals are not going to happen, it is just that the wide majority of them require a heavy load of work early in the spring season.

In order to make this happen it would require us to do a lot of work by May at the absolute latest. Many of these goals are also dependent on the weather and the schedules of other people besides myself.

I look at this list and I feel quite inadequate and silly.  I can’t help but feel like I have failed miserably to attach any reasonable timeline or goal structure to it.

I know how to set goals and assess the progress towards that goal but I did not do that in this case. FAIL!

Then it dawned on me that our homestead is a living breathing project and that it is OURS.

No one is driving this project but us. No one is holding us to our progress, this is pressure that we are putting on ourselves, something that no one else feels or acknowledges.

How freeing it that?!

Instead of feeling crazy inadequate, which is my first instinct, I need to just reevaluate, adjust, and move forward.

Even though this process can show you how you have failed, it is a necessary process.

Here is an assessment of these dream goals as we stand today in  May 2019.

Fence in Play Area for Kids

So this is a very important project for us, but we have not done it yet.  It is kind of a catch-22, we need it to do other projects more easily, but this project requires a lot  of work and some expense that we haven’t had. 

With limited time, it was more important that we scramble to get our garden planted within a reasonable time.

I am hoping that this can be accomplished by the end of the summer and hope that by having it, next year’s projects will be that much easier.

Chickens!

Ha! This one makes me laugh because I sure did have some high hopes for getting some chicks this spring and raising them.

We narrowed down a space that you see in the picture below.

We think that this area will be perfect for a chicken coop and run.  It is far enough away from the house, as well as the neighbors that the noise shouldn’t be an issue.  However, it is close enough that we will  be able to see and observe the chickens every time we go to our car.

The issue this is that right now with this area is that it is currently overgrown with wineberries and will need need to be cleared in order to put in a chicken run.

They are a horribly invasive, but truly delicious, plant that produces raspberry like fruit every June. We love having them on our property but controling the spread of them is really challenging.  I am sure I will write more about them when they start producing.

We should have cleared it out in March before they started growing but we just did not get around to it.  Now this project will probably have to wait until later in the summer.

My goal is to have it cleared and a chicken coop and run built by the end of this year so that we can actually get chickens next spring.

 

Vegetable Gardens

We FINALLY put our vegetable garden in about a week ago. FINALLY! We had some setbacks. We started our tomatoes and peppers from seed on 3/13/12019.   We kept them at my mother’s house since she has more counter space that we do in our kitchen. They were growing really nicely until the tomatoes stopped growing.  After they sprouted and the plants were about 3 in tall, they just kind of stopped. They never died or anything, just stopped growing. The peppers were another story. They were growing really nicely until one of my mom’s cats ate them all.  SO DISAPPOINTING! The seeds that we used were gifted to us from Burpee.  They sent us a collection of free seed packets when we became affiliates with their company.  I was so excited because they included the 4th of July tomatoes which I just love and have only been able to find through Burpee.

Here are the plants that we started from seed on 3/13/2019:

Tomato, Yellow Currant 1 Pkt. (25 seeds)

Tomato, Fourth Of July Hybrid 1 Pkt. (50 seeds)

Pepper, Hot, Jalape o Gigante 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)

Pepper, Sweet, Costa Rican Sweet Hybrid 1 Pkt. (40 seeds)

Once we got these seeds started, we had several decisions about the garden we had to make.

We debated for several months how we were going to handle the garden this year.

Were we going to move the garden to the area where we really want it, even though that area is not prepped yet?

Are we going to keep it where it is, but fence it in?

Are we going to till the ground or are we going to try some raised beds this year?

We actually decided not to move our garden this year. It would just be too much work to have it ready in time.  In March and April, we are still battling rainy/cold weather and it is really hard to get a head start on projects.

We plan to prep the area (take down two trees, remove gravel and pavers, and fence in the new area so that we can use that next year.

We are using pots and made 3 raised beds this year.  We decided not to till the ground and to raised beds because I really wanted to test out the benefits.

This year we have this set up:

3 Raised Beds, 12 Pots, 2 window sill pots.

 

Raised Bed #1:

Kentucky Pole Bean – Burpee

Burpees Bush – Lima Bean

Pea – Super Snappy

Raised Bed #2:

Tomato – Honeycomb Hybrid

Tomato – 4th of July

Raised Bed #3:

Hot Pepper – Jalepeno Gigante

2 rows of Carrots

2 rows of Buttercrunch Lettuce

12 Pots and 2 window sill pots with herbs

  • Broccoli
  • Summer Squash
  • Zucchini
  • Cucumbers
  • Sweet peppers
  • Bush Peas
  • Basil
  • Lavender
  • Cilantro
  • Dill
  • Parsley
  • Lemon Balm
  • Mint

Fingers crossed…

Natural Privacy Borders

Our front yard is relatively dangerous because we sort of sit up on a hill and there are portions of our yard that drop off to a road in front of our house. Right now there is a fence bordering with honeysuckle and other vine plants.  This fence covers about 80% of the opening to the road.

While this helps a lot!  Toddlers, if loose, are sure to run right to the area without a fence.  For this reason, it is extremely important for us to address this area.

Unfortunately, after much research, it became clear that this project would be expensive and time consuming.

We would need to have some sort of fence already in place when planting the trees because it would take several years at a minimum for the trees/bushes to grow and form a natural privacy border.

This requires more research and planning before taking action.

Remove Juniper Bushes and make way for Herb/Tea Garden

We have not started this project yet.  Since we were focusing on planting our vegetable garden, I had planned for this project to be started later in the summer.

I have planted some herbs in pots that I would love for our tea garden.

They are:

  • Mint
  • Lemon Balm
  • Lavender
  • Cilantro
  • Basil
  • Dill
  • Oregano
  • Parsley

I am sure I will plant more herbs. I am a sucker for buying herb plants!

I did start taking more care in pruning our juniper bushes.  I wrote an article for Mother Earth News about how to properly maintain and care for Juniper.  Check it out here: Landscaping with Juniper: Maintain and Prune this Hearty Conifer.

Learning to Bake Bread

I have been having a lot of fun with the bread making.  I have made this REALLY simple white bread recipe several times now and it has turned out so good.

I love that it makes two loaves! I usually make one and have it with dinner. Then I use that other one for french toast the next day.

I can never find bread thick enough to use for french toast so this is always perfect.

If you have any bread recipes that you love, please comment with them, I am looking for difference recipes to try.

Organizing My Recipe Collection

I have not completed this project yet.  I will probably hold this project for a rainy day or for later in the winter after the garden is over.  More on this later.

Do you have a system for organizing all of your recipes for meal planning? Leave a message, I would love to hear about your brilliant methods!

The Leaf Homestead 2019 Goals and Dreams

The Leaf Homestead 2019 Goals and Dreams

by | Jan 22, 2019 | Follow Our Journey

Hello! We are so excited to start our first official year of serious homesteading on what we are reffering to as, “The Leaf Homestead”.  It is actually quite weird to say and think about but I just keep calling it that and hope that eventually it won’t sound so strange anymore!

While we have done gardens in past years, this year we have several rather big projects we are hoping to accomplish.  I am writing them down here and sharing them so we will be held accountable for meeting those goals!

I am also hoping that being witness to our many struggles, challenges, and successes along the way will encourage and inspire you and your family to pursue a homesteading lifestyle also!

If we can do it so can you, we may be wingin’ it most of the way but in the end we are living a life that we love and will benefit our family greatly.

Goals for 2019

We have a lot of projects to tackle this year.  I do think that most of them will be a lot of work in March and April and then hopefully calm down near summer.

While we have many little projects we hope to accomplish both inside and outside, here is a list of our major goals for 2019.

    • Fence in a  play area for the kids.
    • Build a chicken coup and run.
    • Purchase chicks, raise them
    • Combine two vegetable gardens and fence it in.
    • Plant trees for a privacy wall in front of the house.
    • Tear out our juniper hill and start plans for herb/tea garden.
    • Learn to bake bread.
    • Organize our recipe library.

    Fence in Play Area for Kids

    The very first task we need to accomplish this year if we have any hope of successfully meeting our goals is to create a fenced-in play area for the kids.

    Right now our property is pretty dangerous and we really do not have anywhere for the boys to safely play without us needing to be two steps from them.

    Our property is made up of 45% wooded area, 25% blacktop, and 25% weird small tiered areas.

    Basically, if the kid runs off they could fall off a ledge into the road or down a hill, it is just very dangerous and honestly, it is very stressful to have them outside.

    All of this can easily be fixed by creating a fenced in area that will be their primary play spot.

    Chickens!

    I am so excited and kind of terrified to take on chickens this year.  I know that once we have the chicken coop and run constructed it will be done and then it will just require some maitenance every year.  That is veryencouraging.

    Right now we are in the planning phases of this chicken business thing.

    There are many things to consider so while there is still snow on the ground, we will be finishing up our chicken plans.  I hope to start working on it in March.

    Several decisions we will be making:

    • Location
    • Coop and Run Design
    • Types of Chickens

    Location

    When I first decided we should start raising chickens, Brian thought I was insane and was not really on board.   I am not sure he is completely on board yet but he is at least humoring me and we are moving forward.

    The one compromise that we had to come to (I am sure there will be hundreds more) was the location.

    The spot I initially thought was perfect is actually too close to the house.  We finally decided on a spot that would be far enough away from the house, but close enough that I could get to it easily, and this location will actually require less work to prepare for construction.

    Chicken Coop and Run Plans

    We are debating whether it is truly cheaper to build your own coop or if purchasing a coop would be worth the headache.

    Brian is crunching numbers on the prices for fencing, lumber, paint, hardware, etc. There are so many companies that sell preassembled kits or require very little assembly.  While building one is not the problem, the amount of time and cost would determine which route we go. Chicken coops are so cute by the way!  I will share pictures of the process!

    Types of Chickens

    Since we virtually know nothing about chickens, I have been doing a lot of research on the topic so far this winter.  I have read articles, watched many videos, and have talked to several people I know who own chickens.  My biggest questions have been about what type of chickens should I get.

    What I have gathered so far is that you have to have a good idea why you want to have chickens.  Some are great layers, some are good for meat, others are great around children and small enough for them to hold.

    Our primary goal for our chickens is for eggs.  I also would like ones that are easy to care for and have a good temperament for children.

    Vegetable Gardens

    Last year we had two small gardens, one on each side of the house.  I know I have said before that last year was a disaster and it was mainly because of the deer.  Boy, once they found the garden, they were relentless.

    This year we need to prevent the deer.  I really think that the only way to do so is to fence in the entire garden.  It might be a pain but it has several benefits.

    1. It will keep deer, rabbits, and other animals out.
    2. It will keep my children in when they are outside with me in the garden.

    This really is a must have this year.  However, fencing in two small gardens is not a realistic plan. Talk about an eyesore.

    Therefore, Brian and I have been discussing where to relocate the garden so that we only have one large garden we will need to fence in.

    More on that to come.

    Garden Planning

    Garden planning is in full swing!  I am determined to have a more successful garden than last year.  I do feel like we are kind of starting over from scratch because we are completely changing locations.

    We are still working on finalizing the particulars of location and timing.  I will post again when that is finalized.

    Natural Privacy Borders

    As I mentioned above, there are certain areas of our property that are pretty dangerous. Our front yard is one of those areas, and it really should be addressed this year.  I would love to plant some evergreens along the front of our yard.

    I need to do some more research into what type of trees or bushes would be best.  I would be looking for something that grows quickly and provides thick coverage.  I also want something that doesn’t require any pruning or maintenance.  I am not sure if such a tree or bush exists but I will let you know when I find out.

    Remove Juniper Bushes and make way for Herb/Tea Garden

    This is a large project that will probably take us the entire summer to complete but in order to save my sanity, it is a must do this summer.

    Right outside of our back door is a hill that comes down and meets our small back patio.  It has always been covered with juniper bushes and they have always been a pain in the ass.  I hate them.

    They are mainly there as a retainment for all of the soil that is in that area.  It prevents the soil from washing out and flooding down to our back door.  I understand why it is there but it needs to go.

    For one, it is starting to die anyway and it is largely brown in color, instead of the nice green color that juniper usually is, so it is not attractive.

    For two, it is a snake den and weeding it out is scary. It attracts snakes because it provides such good coverage for them, but it is right outside our back door.  Over the last couple of years, I have seen 3 or 4 large black snakes in the juniper while trying to weed it.  It needs to be weeded frequently and I hate doing it.  So it doesn’t get done and then the overgrowth eyesore it is the first thing we see when we go outside. It is depressing.  No thank you, not anymore.

    I would have ripped it out years ago but we need to have a plan for something else to do with the area. I would love to plant an herb/tea garden there, it really is the perfect spot.

    Learning to Bake Bread

    While I am hoping to spend the majority of our lives this spring and summer playing and working outside, there are some kitchen skills that I am hoping to develop this year.

    This past year I was really started to focus on my cooking skills.  Instead of just throwing diner together, I really tried to learn some new techniques, use some tools that I have never used, and tried to expand our recipe collection.  It has been a lot of fun and I plan to continue that this next year.

    My main focus this year is learning to bake bread!  I am hoping to try a few recipes each month and by the end of the year, hopefully, I will have a number of awesome bread recipes that I can make regularly.

    I already tried this recipe from Lil Luna for white bread and it turned out awesome!  I made it alongside some chicken noodle soup and had it with some sandwiches.  I then used it the next morning to make some AWESOME french toast!  I could see making this each week as a substitute for store bought bread.

    Organizing my Recipe Collection

    I try really hard to meal plan, I really do and I usually do a really good job for 3-4 days at the beginning of the week.  However midweek I usually realize that I didn’t plan enough meals to get us to grocery shopping day and we have to make some meals out of the freezer and pantry.

    Luckily we keep things on hand so that we can easily do this but being a little more organized would really help.

    One of the main issues is that we have recipes that we make pretty regularly but we also have a lot of recipes that we use and then forget about.  I would love to have this more organized so that meal planning is easier.  When I plan our meals I am usually looking to make a different kind of meat each night so if I organize the recipes in that way, it could really be helpful.

    This is something that in reality should not take me too long to accomplish but for some reason, I haven’t done it yet. Adding it to this list will keep me accountable this year.  Hopefully, it will save me a lot of headaches.

    Do you have a system for organizing all of your recipes for meal planning? Leave a message, I would love to hear about your brilliant methods!

    17 Essential Reasons to Teach Your Children How to Garden

    17 Essential Reasons to Teach Your Children How to Garden

    by | Jan 12, 2019 | Gardening, Homesteading Skills

    It is no secret that gardening has so many positive benefits and rewards.  Gardening is so special because while the ultimate goal is to grow and enjoy whatever vegetable, fruit, flower, or tree has been planted, the entire process provides the gardener with the opportunity to learn and practice a variety life skills and knowledge that can benefit them in all aspects of their life.

    I know that when you have small children, it is sometimes easier to avoid including them in some projects and chores because they may not understand or may increase the time the tasks take.  This is an easy habit to get into when you are trying to check off your to-do list and complete important projects.

    I know that I am guilty of this.  With small children, it is many times easier to wait until they are napping to work in the garden.  Sometimes after I have considered the muddy mess that will come from allowing them in the garden or the extra attention that is required when we are spending time outside, I have decided against bringing them with me to the garden.  However, this year will be different!  My children will be older this year and my hope and goal is to include them with me while I garden and teach them these skills that I love so much.

    While it could be so much easier to work on a garden without involving children, not including them is a lost opportunity to teach them some amazing life skills and lessons right your backyard.

    Here are some of the AMAZING benefits that gardening will have on your children:

    1) Provides fresh healthy food

    One of the most important reasons to have a garden at all is for the fresh, healthy food that it will produce.  The ability to have fresh food grown in your own backyard, make its way into your kitchen and onto your dinner table is just awesome.  Establishing and encouraging the importance of eating healthy fruits and vegetables will be so much easier when your child can see the entire picture of where their food comes from.

    My two boys LOVE broccoli and I buy it so much that we tend to have a lot of frozen broccoli.  Nothing wrong with that but how awesome would it be to show them how it grows, have them water it, pick it, wash it in the sink and then have it for dinner!

    2) Gets them outside

    Fresh air! Having your children come outside with you to the garden will get them some much needed fresh air and sunshine.  Gardening is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with your children.

    Making sure that your garden is fenced in, will not only to deter pests, like deer or rabbits, but it will also allow you to garden with some piece of mind that your children are safe within the garden with you.  This way they are also fenced inside the garden with you and can let you focus on exploring all of the wonderful plants that you have growing.

    3) Practice planning and organization

    Gardening requires planning and organization.  Having your children help with the planning and organization can really get them invested in the project from the beginning.  Proper planning and organization is necessary for almost every project or activity that we take on in life, so this is a great opportunity to emphasize the importance.  Children can get involved in the decisions of what to plant, where to plant, and how much to plant.

    Not only is gardening a great way to encourage forethought and proactive actions, but it also allows the child to see the big picture of the garden and really understand what it takes to grow and prepare the food that we eat.

    4) Promotes physical exercise

    Gardening is definitely a physical activity.  Digging in the soil, carrying bags of mulch or harvested vegetables, and weeding are just some of the physical activities that are apart of gardening.  Gardening allows you to incorporate some physical activity into your day without having to structure an activity or game.

    While any reason to get your kids up and moving is a great thing, I love the idea of physical activities that are also productive and benefit a larger goal.

    5) Strengthens problem solving skills

    You are guaranteed to face some problems and challenges with your garden each year.  Many of these problems are ones that you will have never faced before.  One of the skills that tending to a garden teaches you is to be able to ask questions and do research.  You will have to utilize your resources to come to a proper solution to the problem.

    Teaching children to become good at asking questions and conduct research is so important for many aspects of their life.  They will need to learn to think creatively and critically to overcome challenges that they face in any project they take on.

    For example, having your children help with projects such as; developing a means of protecting the garden from deer or having them find a way to support the tomato plants, can really get them thinking critically and creatively.  If their solutions are effective, they will gain confidence in their abilities.

    6) Supports importance of goal setting

    Children may not fully understand the importance of setting goals and working toward them, however this concept can still be implemented into their daily lives without making it a chore.  With gardening, you can easily incorporate this important skill by talking about your gardening goals with your children during the planning phase.  Speak to your children about what would make a successful garden and set up some milestones that can be celebrated along the way.  This practice not only allows your children to see progressive growth in their hard work but also allows them to celebrate all of the mini successes that come along with gardening. 

    Celebrate when you see the seeds first start to sprout, when your first cucumber can be identified, or when you harvest your first carrots.  Incorporating the idea of goal setting also allows for reflection at the end of the season.

    Remember this may seem advanced for children but it does not have to be overly structured and painful! Just including them in discussions on what a successful garden looks like can really help them see the bigger picture and develop some great proactive habits.

    7) Instills an appreciation for hard work

    Some good old-fashioned manual labor is, unfortunately, something that not all kids experience regularly.  While initially your children may groan and protest at the idea of outside physical chores, if it becomes a routine expectation, then it begins to transform into a lifestyle instead of just an annoying chore.  Physically working to achieve a goal is something that should be valued and encouraged.

    The benefit of physical labor is that typically at the end of the day you are able to step back and visually see what you have accomplished.  It is so important for small children to be able to see their progress and appreciate the work that they have just completed.  While you wouldn’t be trying to create little labor horses, you would be trying to eliminate the negative feelings of having to do physical work and instead help develop courage and strength in your children.

    8) Teaches them self sufficiency skills

    I love gardening for many reasons but one of the biggest draws for me to want to share it with my children is to teach them self sufficiency.  I want my children to be able to live their lives without being dependant on the decisions of others and instead have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to live freely and successfully on their own reliance.

    I am not a doomsdayer by any means but I truly believe that old-fashioned skills such as gardening, food preservation, scratch cooking, and animal husbandry still have an important place in a modern society and passing this on to our children will make them well-rounded individuals.

    9) Promotes sensory stimulation

    It is really never too early to start exposing children to your garden.  One of the struggles with trying to garden while having small children is how to contain them and keep them busy and occupied while you get some work done!  Some options are taking them outside to sit in a stroller while you weed or harvest.  You could also set up a pack-n-play or play yard in the garden so that they can safely play.  If they are able to move around, sit, crawl, or walk you could also let them wander around and investigate. 

    Gardening can really awaken the senses and allows children access to some brand new smells, sights, sounds, and textures to feel.  Kids can play in the dirt, roll cherry tomatoes around, pick up bugs and worms, and splash in a bucket of water.  Some of these simple sensory activities can keep children occupied while you get some much-needed gardening done!

    10) Fosters an appreciation for nature

    I must admit that even as an adult, I didn’t really have a huge connection to nature or fully appreciate the earth and animals until I started gardening.  In today’s fast-paced world it is so difficult to slow down and spend some time taking in the joys of nature.  By gardening with your children, you can emphasize the importance of taking care of the earth and all of its living things and develop a real connection and appreciation for the nature that is accessible right in their backyard!

    11) Teaches them a sense of pride and responsibility

    Independence is an extremely important thing for little kids.  My boys are constantly pushing me away when I try to help them so that they can “do it themselves”.  Gardening is a perfect way to allow them some controlled independence, which will help them develop a sense of pride and responsibility.  Doing new things by themselves encourages confidence and allows them to be responsible and proud of their successes.

    My oldest loves to carry baskets of vegetables and it makes him so proud to be able to fill a basket full of tomatoes and carry it to the house.  What an awesome feeling for both your children and for yourself!

    12) Teaches them to overcome failure

    Gardening is full of failures.  Every year you are pretty much guaranteed to face at least several different challenges, obstacles, or setbacks with your garden.  While it may be frustrating, if you are already anticipating this, these challenges can provide some great learning opportunities for your children.

    One of our last gardens was a HUGE failure.  That season we experienced a record-breaking amount of rain and major deer and rabbit problems which made for an awful gardening year.  We barely harvested anything that year.  We were very disappointed but the experiences forced us to learn how to handle and prevent these challenges in the future.  Understanding and dealing with failure is a very important lesson that children can learn from gardening.

     

    13) Encourages them to try new foods

    One of the great things about getting children involved in gardening is that it allows them to be more connected to the food they eat.  Watching the entire growing process of a green bean plant can encourage much more excitement about trying something new than just buying it at the store.  Actually having a part in growing, harvesting, and preparing the vegetable, could encourage curiosity in a child making them more likely to try a vegetable they would otherwise be opposed to.

     

    14) Teaches them patience

    Patience is a virtue!  Gardening definitely teaches all of us patience.  Once you plant that initial seed, you will have to wait for the plant to grow, then wait for the vegetable to grow and be ready to pick, and lastly, wait to eat it.  These steps requiring patience will help your children understand that not everything can be obtained instantly.  Instant gratification has no place in gardening and in my opinion, that is so refreshing!

    15) Emphasizes family bonding

    I LOVE the idea of treating the garden like an entire family project.  As there are so many tasks in gardening, everyone can have a special responsibility and job.  This not only encourages teamwork among the family but also allows the child to own a part of the garden where they can see the benefits of their individual efforts of hard work.  A family should rely on each other but also encourage and elevate each individual.  Gardening is a wonderful way of incorporating this into your family’s lives.  In the end, you all get to reap the benefits and eat the food!

    16) Introduces intentional living

    Today, there is so much instant gratification and social media that sometimes it is so refreshing to have something real, natural, and intentional.  The term “intentional living” basically means that you are aware of the values and beliefs in which you want to live your life by and you make your decisions and actions accordingly.  There are many reasons as to why someone would choose to live a homesteading lifestyle. 

    It seems that all of those reasons are generally based on the desire to provide their family with security, love, and protection.  For our family, we want to provide our children with security and protection in the way of teaching them to be self-sufficient so that they can be successful regardless of the actions of other people. We also want to foster a close family unit which to us looks like teamwork to complete family projects and work towards a family goal that will be beneficial to all of us.  These values and beliefs are the driving force for our decision to homestead and by living out those dreams, our children are also learning to create their own dreams and take action.

    17) Nurtures thier creativity

    What I love so much about gardening is that it can be a personal and private endeavor for you and your family.  This allows you the freedom to really manage and care for the garden however you see fit. (It may not always be successful depending on some decisions but that is ok!)  This allows you a certain level of freedom to be creative and experiment,  what an awesome opportunity to let your kids express their creativity.

    You could let them paint the inside of the fence whatever color they want, let them make signs and markers for the vegetables in each garden bed, or you could let them pick out a crazy colored carrot to plant, or a vegetable you have never heard of.  The possibilities are endless and you all will have fun doing it!

    There are so many reasons to garden with your children this year. Even if you have never had a garden before, start slowly and try out a small garden this year.  Your family is sure to love all of the exciting benefits and rewards that gardening can bring you. 

    For some tips on how to successfully garden with small children, check out this past post: 6 Easy tips for successfully gardening with small children

    Beautiful Holiday Decor Ideas From Your Backyard

    Beautiful Holiday Decor Ideas From Your Backyard

    by | Dec 14, 2018 | Gardening, Simple Living

    It is Christmas time! My FAVORITE time of the year.

    Since this is the first year that we are really focusing on our homesteading lifestyle, I thought it would be great to look at what we can find in our backyard to use for decorations.

    We have a section of evergreens and we actually have a few different varieties of bushes and trees that we could experiment with.

    Why purchase expensive evergreen wreaths and garland when you can so easily make them at home?

    They create such a cozy and inviting atmosphere, and they smell amazing!

    This is the first year we are doing this, so we are experimenting with several different natural materials.

    These materials were either found for free in our backyard or are seasonal fruit that we were already purchasing at low prices at the grocery store.

    These materials include:

    • oranges
    • cranberries
    • evergreens

    What I found so interesting about these natural decorations, is that they really bring an old-fashioned, vintage feel to your decor. Also, while they are so simple and easy to put together, they are also so elegant and classic.

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    Oranges and Boxwood Centerpieces

    I have these two bushes that line a small set of steps that we use daily when walking too and from our cars.  I never noticed them much and I think we have only trimmed them back once or twice.  In preparation for this post, I did some research and surveyed our property for any evergreen trees or bushes that could be used.

    These two bushes are known as “Boxwoods” and are commonly used in holiday decor arrangements, centerpieces, and wreaths.  After some quick trimming (killing two birds with one stone!)  I brought some cuttings inside.  Boxwood is great for this type of project because the braches don’t really wilt.  Instead, after about a week they will dry out and get brittle but for the most part look fresh for some time.

    Who would have thought that I have one of the most common plants used in decorations right outside my back door!

    Oranges are in season around the holidays and have always been a staple in natural decor.  Add the bright orange color to the deep, fresh green of the boxwoods and you have a cheery, vintage, and cozy centerpiece.

    If you want to get really fancy with your oranges, pop some whole cloves into the oranges in various patterns.  Not only does this combination smell amazing, but it also looks classy.

    I only had a cranberry colored tablecloth but I think that a deep forest green one would be really beautiful against the milk glass!

    Cranberries and Juniper Centerpiece

    I don’t have a cranberry bush on my property but you can easily find bags of whole cranberries at the grocery store.

    For this centerpiece, I reused a glass jar from a Yankee Candle and filled it with whole cranberries.  Add some water and a floating candle and you have an elegant centerpiece.  The aroma that the cranberries have when floating in water is so festive.

    Juniper and I have a love-hate relationship. I have so much of it in our backyard and I HATE weeding it.  I keep saying that I am going to rip it all out so, in the meantime, I will try to enjoy it!

    I actually like using it in decorating so I will probably leave at least one bush for that purpose.

    Juniper also has a strong pine/evergreen smell to it.  Be careful trimming and arranging juniper branches because they are very sharp and prickly.

    I really do love the silver/green tints of the needles, coupled with the colors of the cranberry, this combination really does make for a beautiful centerpiece.

    Dried Oranges

    I never really thought about orange slices before but while I was researching for decorating ideas, images of them kept popping up.  I realized that they are actually a common decor for an old-fashioned, Victorian Christmas.

    They are also really easy to make.

    Here is step by step instructions on how we made ours:

    1. Cut Oranges into 1/4 inch slices
    2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
    3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
    4. Lay out orange slices flat on a tray
    5. Bake orange slices for 2.5 hours and then flip slices
    6. Bake for another 2 hours
    7. Timing might vary depending on the thickness of orange slices

    This worked great for us, and they smell amazing when baking!  However, even after 4.5 hours of baking, there was still some moisture left in the slices.  I pulled them out because they were starting to brown.  Give them an extra day to lay out and they will be ready to use!

    Once ready, I just took some embroidery thread that I had easily accessible and strung the slices together in a garland.  If I had any extra cranberries on hand I would have included them in the garland as well.  I then put the garland on our tree but it would look great alongside any greenery that you have in your Christmas decor.

    The result is a vintage looking garland that you made yourself with natural ingredients!

    I had some extra slices so I made some individual ornaments by adding some star annis.  I thought they turned out very nicely!

    They will also last for quite awhile.  Try it for yourself!

    Simple Red, White and Evergreen

    Sometimes I just really love some classic red, green, and white decor for the holidays.

    We were originally going to use some of the branches that we trimmed off of our Christmas tree, but I did not put this together in enough time and they were not as fresh as I would have liked.  In the future, I will try to save those branches for decorations.

    The evergreen in these pictures come from what is called a “Weeping Norway Spruce”.  It is a strange tree and I really cannot decide if I like it.  It “weeps” over so that the branches are leaning towards the ground.  It has beautiful, vibrant green branches and really nice sized pinecones.  It is ugly and beautiful at the same time and I have come to appreciate that!  It certainly is an interesting tree.  The Missouri Botanical Garden has some of the best information on this type of tree that I have found.

    Any spruce or evergreen would be great for these types of centerpieces. Working with small pieces will make it easier to arrange and get the look that you desire.

    Additional Natural Decor Ideas

    While the ideas for natural decorations are endless, a few great ones that you could use today are;

    • Pinecones
    • Branches
    • Leaves
    • Holly and other berry bushes

    I really wanted to incorporate some pinecones into the decor this year, but I had a difficult time finding any quality ones to use.  I think that next year, I will start trying to forage for them earlier.

    I do not have a holly bush on our property.  How awesome would it be to have a holly bush accessible for cuttings?!

    However, as much as my boys love berries of all kinds, incorporating them in the decorations would probably have to wait until they are older.  With that said, I might try to plant a holly bush next year so that it can have time to grow for when we do want to use it.

    The possibilities are really endless! Go check out your backyard to see what kinds of materials you can incorporate into your decor this year.

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Leaf Family!

    Your 1st Step to a Simple Living Lifestyle!

     

    A great place to start with Simple Living is to start making your own cleaning and personal products!

    With this FREE eBook, you can easily get started with over 10 quick but effective recipes that use ingredients you already have in your house!